Oklahoma Produce

(Guest post from Katie Qualls Fay, Health Educator at OU Health Services)

Is it any coincidence that our state song begins with,

“Gonna bring you barley, carrots and pertaters,

Pasture for the cattle, spinich and termaters,

Flowers on the prarie where the June bugs zoom….

OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain,

And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet, When the wind comes right behind the rain”?

Oklahoma summers notoriously yield fantastic produce. If you grew up in Oklahoma (or even if you didn’t), you know that produce stands on the side of the road with massive watermelons and a truckbed full of fresh corn are reminders that our bustling state still has rural roots. One of my favorite childhood memories is going to my great-great aunt and uncle’s (yes 2 greats) house in Calera, Oklahoma where they had rows of corn from which my family had picked for over 50 summers. I don’t think you’re a true Oklahoman until you learn how to shuck corn.

The summer is a very easy time to eat fresh and eat local. The greatest concentration of fruit and vegetable production in Oklahoma occurs between June and August. Familiarize yourself with the times and dates for local farmers markets, or keep a little extra cash in your car for those roadside stops! Shopping locally not only supports our farmers, but it is also a cost-effective way to find and eat organically grown produce. Perhaps you’ve taken local produce a step further and you grow some of these on your own!

Below is a list of fruits and vegetables you’ll easily be able to purchase between June-August:

• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Green beans
• Okra
• Onions
• Peas
• Peaches
• Plums
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Squash
• Sweet corn
• Tomatoes

Thank goodness my favorite fruits and vegetables make this list! So what’s the best way to cook these fruits and veggies? Below we have a fruit recipe and a vegetable recipe that are a little different from maybe your usual summer fixins’. I hope this summer you’re able to sink your teeth into the juiciest peach (or plum…or tomato) ever.

Watermelon Salad Recipe

Zucchini Tomato Bake recipe